HomeMy WebLinkAboutSLO's response to police violence_
Christian, Kevin
From:Cliff Mathieson <cliffmath4@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday, June 3, 2020 11:34 AM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:SLO's response to police violence?
Hello San Luis Obispo City Council,
I'm a lifelong citizen of SLO county (I grew up in Cambria and moved to SLO about a decade ago), and I'm concerned
about the city's apparent lack of response to the police's use of violence at Monday's peaceful protest. As a largely
progressive, justice-minded council, I'm sure you understand why seeing a heavily armed and armored police force
gassing a peaceful group of our neighbors and friends and family is so distressing.
This was a protest against police violence, and SLOPD's show of force proved exactly how necessary (and overdue)
change really is. Something needs to be done. Our police force needs to be defunded and ideally disarmed. It does not
make us feel safer to see black-clad, armed individuals rolling down our streets and through our neighborhoods in
armored cars.
The violent reprisal to Monday's peaceful protest made it plain for all to see; SLOPD is more interested in exerting
control over the people of San Luis Obispo than protecting them. You do not shoot painful tear gas and bone-shattering
rubber bullets at people that you care about protecting. The only protection the people of SLO need now is protection
against the violent military-armed force that has proven itself eager to do harm. I'm pleading with you all to do
something about this.
The entire county watched videos of SLO's police force gassing a peaceful protest, and something must me done.
Through their violence, SLOPD has shattered the tenuous trust that the citizens of SLO had in them; that trust will not
repair itself, and that breach will not be forgotten. Please do not let your city's cries for change fall on deaf ears. We
demand justice. We demand a demilitarized police force. We demand a defunded police force. We demand a disarmed
police force. We demand a police force that we do not have to fear.
Thank you for reading all of this. You have the power to fix this.
-Cliff Mathieson, SLO citizen
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